Machine for box-making.



L. I. NELSON.

MACHINE FOR BOX MAKING. APPLICATION FILED JULY n, 1916.

Patented Maia 18,1919- 4 SHEETS-SHEET I- .h. 2 hw hhuw m: NORRIS rErsRsca. momurum wnumcm D. :4

L. J. NELSON.

MACHINE FOR BOX MAKING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11. 1916.

1,297,391. Patented Mar. 18,1919.

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L. J. NELSON.

MACHINE FOR BOX MAKING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY H. 1916.

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L. J. NELSON.

MACHINE FOR BOX MAKING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY'H. I916.

1,297,391. Patented Mar. 18,1919.

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L eon J. Nelsonflmm/wbo a arena @FEEQE.

LEON J. NELSON, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

MACHINE FOR BOX-MAKING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1919.

Application filed July 11, 1916. Serial No. 108,728.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON J. NELSON, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forBox-Making, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for ex pediting and facilitating theassembling of wooden boxes. It is the object of my invention to provid asimple and inexpensive mechanism for holding the parts of wooden boxeswhile the same are nailed together; to provide in such a machine meanswhereby band-iron reinforcing strips may be applied to the boxessimultaneously with the nailing thereof; to provide means for feedingthe band-iron from reels thereof into proper position for nailing; toprovide means for tightening the band-iron and holding the samepreparatory to nailing; to provide means of adjustment whereby themachine may be quickly adapted for operation on different sizes ofboxes; and to provide various other particular structures andcombinations of parts which will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a partial plan view of amachine embodying my invention, portions of the table being broken awayto show the underlying parts, Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionon the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 8 is a front elevation ofthe machine, Fig. 1 is a partial plan and partial horizon tal section,showing in detail the structure of one of the end-clamps, Fig. 5 is adetail side view of a part of the band-iron feeding devices, Fig. 6 is adiagrammatic perspective view of the principal. movino elements of themachine, Fig. 7 is a detall view of the clamp mechanism showing thebox-ends in position therein, Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the planeof the line 88 of Fig. 7, showing a box-end with one side-piece in placeready for nailing, Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the box in a moreadvanced stage of its assembling, and Fig. 10 is a detail verticalsectional view, showing an auxiliary roller device for reducing thefriction of the band-iron when drawn around the corners of the box.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention I provide a main framehaving similar right and left side-portions which are connectedbytransverse shafts so as to be adjustable in parallelism toward andaway from each other. The left side-frame comprises vertical front andrear posts 11 and 12, an upper longitudinal beam 13 which connects theupper ends of the posts and extends out horizontally beyond the rearpost 12, an intermediate longitudinal beam 1 1 which also extends outbehind the post 12, and a lower longitudinal member 15 of which the endsare secured to the posts. The right side-frame comprises similar memberswhich are designated by the same reference numerals, having primeindices added thereto. Said right and left side-frames are connected toeach other transversely by four horizontal shafts 16, 17 18, and 19,which pass revolubly through openings in the upper and lower portions ofthe posts 11 and 12, being held in fixed transverse relation to saidposts by collars 20secured on the ends of the shafts outside the posts,and sprocketwheels 21 secured thereon inside the posts. Said transverseshafts have screw-threaded portions which extend revolubly and slidablythrough openings in the posts 11 and 12 of the right side-frame, thethreaded parts engaging internally-threaded flangeplates 22 which aresecured on the outer sides of said posts concentrically with thetransverse openings for the shafts. Through the shaft 16 and the collar20 thereon'there is a radial opening, as shown, for the insertion of arod or bar, by which said shaft may be turned, and when so turned theother shafts are similarly rotated through the medium of thesprocket-wheels 21 and an endless chain 23 which passes around andoperativ'ely connects all of said wheels. By rotation of the transverseframe-shafts, as described, the right and left side-frames may bequickly and conveniently adjusted toward and away from each other,and'are rigidly held by said shafts in their adjusted parallel relationsto each other.

The front ends of the upper frame-members 13 and 13 fit into rectangularrecesses made in the inner sides of the front posts 11 and 11, and atthe bottoms of said recesses there are supported the front ends of thetrack-bars 24: and 24. Said track-bars extend parallel with and inspaced relation to the lower edges of the respective members 13 and 13',and also extend in past the planes of the inner sides of said members.In the use of the machine the box-ends X are placed in vertical positionwith the lower edges thereof resting upon the track-bars 24 and 24, thefront edges engaging the posts, and the outer sides engaging the innersides of the members 13 and 13". The boxends are held in the describedposition by means of two sets of clamping devices, constructed asfollows: On the front sides of the posts 11 and 11, near the upper endsthereof, are secured angular hinge-plates 25, best shown in Figs. 3, 4and 7. To'the front ends of said hinge-plates clamp-blocks 26 and 26 arepivotally connected so as to be swingable in a horizontal plane betweenthe positions shown by full and dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 7. For eachof said clamp-blocks there is a bolt 27 which extends through an openingin the block near the hinged end thereof and passes through a transverseopening in the adjacent portion of the respective post. Coil-springs 28are disposed around said bolts within the outer parts of I thetransverse openings in the posts, said springs engaging adjusting-nuts29 on the adjacent ends of the bolts, as shown in Fig. 4. Said springs28 hold the clamp-blocks normally at the positions shown by full linesin the several figures and at said positions the sides of the rearwardportions of the blocks will engage the box-ends X and press them firmlyagainst the adjacent inner sides of the frame-members 13 and 13, asshown in Fig. 7. For releasing the clampblocks, there are provided cordsor flexible members 30 and 30 of which the ends are connected with therespective blocks, said cords extending across the front of the machineto pulleys 31 and 31 mounted re: spectively on the posts 11 and 11, andthence diagonally downward to connect with the front end of thefoot-lever 32. The rearward end of the foot-lever 32 is secured to apedestal-bearing 33 which is pivotally and slid'ably mounted on theframe-shaft 18, as shown. To the central portion of the footlever thereis pivotally connected a bar 34 which extends upwardly therefrom and hasthe upper end thereof pivotally connected with an arm 35 secured on thecentral part of a horizontal shaft 36, the end-portions of said shaftbeing rotatably mounted in the intermediate frame-members 14 and 14.Near the frame-member 14 there is secured on said shaft 36 an arm 37,-similar to the arm 35, but. extending upwardly or substantially at rightangles to said arm 35. Both of the arms 35 and 37 are secured to theshaft-by means of set-screws 38 so that the positions thereof may beadjusted as desired, and each has a plurality of openings therein sothat the associated connecting-rods may be pivoted thereon at differentradial distances from the center of the shaft 36. To the arm 37 there isconnected the front end of a connecting-rod or bar 39 which extendsrearwardly to an arm 40 secured on a trans- Verse shaft 41. Said shaftis supported rotatably in diagonal notches formed in the upper edges ofthe portions of the intermediate frame-members 14. and 14 which extendbeyond the rear frame-posts 12 and 12'. Both the bar 39 and arm 40 havea plurality of transverse openings therein, as shown, so that they maybe pivotally connected in various relations by means of the pivot-bolt42. An arm 43 is secured adjustably on the portion of the shaft "41intermediate the frame-members 14 and 14', by means of a set-screw 44passing through the hub-portion of said arm. In said hub-poltion of thearm there is secured the end of a rod 45 which extends forwardly fromthe shaft and has a weight 46 securedadjustably thereon by means of aset-screw 47. Said weight tends to turn the shaft 41 so as to move thearms 40 and 43 forwardly, and said movement of the arm 40is communicatedthrough the bar 39 to the arm 37and shaft 36, tending to turn said shaft36 so as to raise the arm 35, bar 34 and foot-lever 32 upwardly. Thefoot-lever is thus held normally in the raised position, at which thesprings 28 are permitted to move the clamp-blocks 26 and 26 so as toclamp laterally the box-ends X. To the upper end of the arm 43 there ispivotally connected a bar 48 which extends forwardly therefrom and atthe front end fits pivotally upon a turn-buckle 49. Said turnbuckleforms the central rearward connecting-member between the sides of asliding clamp-frame which is movable horizontally upon the track-bars 24and 24, being adapted to engage the rearward edges ofthe boxends X topress the same forwardly against the posts 11 and 11'. Said slidingclampframe comprises two side-bars 50 and 50 which rest upon. therespective track-bars,

and threaded cross-rods 51 and 51, of which the outer ends are securedto the side-bars, while the inner portions are connected to each otheradjustably by means of the turnbuckle 49 and a like turnbuckle 52, theformer being between the rearward pair of the rods andthe latter joiningthe front pair of the rods 51, 51. When the foot-leveris depressed theshaft 41 is turned; seats to move the arm 43, the bar 48 and the slidingclamp-frame rearwardly, as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 6, sothat the box-ends are disengaged and released by said clampframesimultaneously with the releasing movement of the clamp-blocks 26 and26, which is also caused by depression of the foot-lever. 7

On the end portions of the shaft 36, outside the frame-mcmbers 14, 14,there are revolubly mounted reels 53, 53', for coils or rolls ofband-iron, said reels being held in position longitudinally of the shaftand the shaft held transversely of the frame by collars 5a, 54 securedto the shaft by setscrews, as shown. Each of the reels has on the outerperipheral portion thereof a series of radially and laterally extendingbars 55 adapted to project forward adjacent to the outer sides of thefront frame-posts 11 and 11 so as to be conveniently reached by the footof the operator or workman standing in front of the machine. From thereels the band-iron strips B are extended forward and pass aroundflanged wheels 56 which are mounted revolubly in openings made throughthe lower portions of the front posts, as shown. From the wheels 56 thestrips B are extended up through guides 57 secured on the posts intransverse alinement with the box-ends X held by the clamping devices.Means are provided for turning the reels, to feed or uncoil therefromportions of the band-iron, at each downward movement of the foot-lever,as follows: On the lower longitudinal frame-members l5 and 15 there isslidably mounted a frame comprising side-bars 58 and 58 having fixedlysecured thereto the ends of transversely extending threaded rods 59 and59, of which the adjacent ends are adjustably connected to each other byturnbuckles 60 and 61, the structure of the frame thus beingsubstantially the same as that of the sliding clamp-frame beforedescribed. A coil spring 62 has one end thereof connected with the frontturnbuckle 61 and the other end connected with a loop or eye formed onthe pedestal-bearing 33, and said spring normally holds the slidingframe against stops provided at the rearward ends of the trackmembers15, 15'. To the rear turnbuckle 60 there are pivotally connected thefront ends of bars 63, and the rear ends of said bars are similarlyconnected with the forked lower end of an arm 64 which is slidably andpivotally supported on the cross-shaft 17. The arm 64 is operativelyconnected with the footlever by means of a cord or flexible member 65extending forwardly from the arm, over a small pulley 66, and thencedownwardly to the foot-lever. The pulley 66 is carried on the lower endof a swinging arm 67 mounted pivotally and slidably on the cross-shaft16. By the described connection, depression of the footlever causes aforward movement of the sliding frame. On the side-bars 58, 58 of saidframe there are pivotally mounted pawls 68, 68', the ends of which areadapted to engage suitable ratchet-teeth 69 formed on the adjacentperipheral portions of the reels 53, 53, and thus actuate the reels ateach forward movement of the sliding frame.

As a further means of controlling movement of the reels a brake devicetherefor is provided, as follows: On the rearward sides of the posts 11and 11, slightly above the members 14 and 14', there are guide-pins 70on which are slidably mounted horizontal transversely extending bars 71and 71 pro vided at their outer ends with blocks or shoes 72 and 72'adapted to bear, respectively, upon the periphery of the outer plates orflanges of the reels 53 and 53. The bars 71 and 71 are connected to eachother by a center-bar 73, the ends of which overlap and are slidablyconnected with the inner end portions of the brake-bars, as shown inFig. 1. To the center-bar 7 3 there is secured a curved arm 74 whichextends upwardly and forwardly therefrom and carries at its end a blockor head 75 which may be engaged by the knee or leg of the operator topush the brake-bars rearwardly upon the guide-pins 70 and thus press theshoes 72 and 72 against the reels and retard movement thereof.

The upper ends of the posts 11, 11, 12 and 12 are recessed at theirouter sides to form ledges on which are supported the inner edges oftables 76 and 76. Said tables extend out horizontally from the sides ofthe machine, and the outer ends thereof are supported by suitable legs77, hinged thereto as shown in Fig. 3. On the rearward portions of theframe-members 13 and 13 there is carried a table or platform 78, asshown. The tables 76, 7 6' and 78 form convenient means for supportingthe boxmaterials, so that the same are in easy reach of the workman oroperator of the machine.

In the use of the machine, the workman stands or sits at the front ofthe same, and the foot-lever 32, the head 75 of the brake device, andthe foot-bars 55 of the band-iron reels, are all operated, as required,by suitable movements of his legs and feet, leaving the hands free forthe assembling and nailing of the box-materials. In commencing themaking of a box, the workman first depresses the foot-lever to move theclamp devices to release position, and then, taking a box-end X in eachhand, inserts the same in proper position at each side of the machine,after which he releases the foot-lever so that the two box-ends areclamped and held by the blocks 26 and 26 and the ends of the side-bars50 and 50 of the sliding clampframe. The depression of the foot-leverfeeds out or causes a certain amount of slack in the strips B, so thatthe ends thereof may be easily pulled up and turned over the upper edgesof the box-ends near the front cornersthereof, after which said ends ofthe strips are nailed to the box-ends as shown in Fig. 7. The foot-leveris then again depressed to release the clamp devices and rotate thereels to feed out a further portion of the band-iron strips, and thebox-ends with the strips attached thereto are turned over rearwardly toa position such as shown in Fig. 8, at which those edges of the boxendsare uppermost which werc at the front in the first-described positionthereof. The first side-piece Y of the box is then placed with the endsthereof resting upon the upper edges of the box-end beneath the strips13, as shown in Fig. 8, after which the foot-bars 55 of the reels arepushed downwardly and move the reels so as to rewind thereon a portionof the strips B, thus taking up the slack therein and causing the upperportions thereof to be drawn tightly down across the ends of theside-piece Y. Nails are then driven through the strips 13 and theendportions of the side-piece Y into the boxends, thus securing togethersimultaneously said box-ends, side-piece and band-ironreinforcing-strips. After said nailing operation is completed thefoot-lever is again depressed, the partially assembled box given anotherrearward quarter-turn, the same clamped in such position, the secondsidepiece Y placed in position beneath the reinforcing strip, the latterdrawn tght, and the parts nailed together as before. The operation ofplacing and securing the third sidepiece Y is essentially a repetitionof the foregoing, and is represented in Fig. 9 just prior to thetightening down of the reinforcing-strip preparatory to nailing thesame. After the nailing of the third side-piece, a sufficient length ofthe reinforcing-strips is drawn from the reels to reach across thefourth side or cover of the box, and the strips are then cut off abovethe upper guides 57 and the completed box removed from the machine.After the filling of the box and the placing of the cover thereon, theremaining unattached parts of the reinforcing strips are drawn acrossthe ends of the cover and nailed down simultaneouslywith the nailing ofthe cover. To facilitate the turning of the box between the severalnailing operations thereon, the central upper portions of the framemembers 13 and 13' are cut away between the front and rear frame posts,as shown.

To facilitate the tightening of the reinforcing strips, and preventdamaging the corners of the box during the tightening operation, it issometimes desirable to employ the auxiliary anti-friction device shownin Fig. 10, comprising a plate 79 adapted to fit upon a corner of thebox, and having thereon lugs 80 between which a small roller 81 isrevolubly mounted. In the use of said roller device, the same is placedon the corner of the box beneath the strip B before the same istightened, and during the tightening operation the strip is'drawn overthe roller instead of passingaround the sharp corner of the box. Theroller device is removed from beneath the reinforcing-strip after thelatter has been nailed at a point adjacent to the end of the upper partof the plate 79.

The operations required for adjusting. the

machine to accommodate different sizes of boxes will be obvious. Bysuitable variation of the connections between the ends of the bar 39 andarms 37 and 40, and between the bar 34 and arm 35 the travel of thesliding clamp-frame may be made great enough to compensate thedifference between the width and height of any particular size of box. Afurther adjustment for boxes of different heights and widths is afiordedby placing the shaft 411 in different ones of the notches in the members14 and 1 1.- For boxes of different lengths the width of the main frameis varied by the described rotation of the threaded cross-shafts 1G, 17,18 and 19; the sliding clamp-frame is widened or narrowed by rotatingthe turnbuckles 19 and 52; the lower sliding frame is similarly variedin width by rotation of the turnbuckles 60 and 61; the arms 35- and 13are secured on the shafts 36 and 41 at positions central between thesides of the main frame; the foot-lever bearing 33, the arm 64 and arm67 are slid along the shafts 18, 17 and 16 to a like central position;and the set-collars 54 are changed to suitable positions on the shaft36.

It may be here noted that the length of the band-iron strips fed off thereels may be varied to some extent by varying the rate at which thefoot-lever is depressed, a rapid movement thereof causing greaterrotation of the reels than a slow movement. The brake device for thereels may also be employed to check or stop movement thereof and preventthe feeding therefrom of too great a length of the reinforcing-strips atany one time.

It will be apparent that by the use of the machine, boxes may beassembled very rapid'ly and easily, as the workman constantly has theuse of both hands for taking the box-parts from the tables 76, 76 and78,

and for nailing the parts together after they I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Paltent is:

1. In a machine of the class described, in combination; a frame havingparallel sideportions and transversely extending connecting meansther'eloetween variable to move said side-portions toward and away fromeach other; box-end supporting and clamping devices carried on each ofsaid frame side-portions; band-iron supporting, feedmg, gmding andtensioning means carried on each OfSZLlCl frame side-portions; means foractuating said clamping devices to release box-ends held thereby; andmeans connecting said actuating means and the bandiron feeding means sothat the latter is actuated simultaneously with the release of theclamping means.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with twoframe-portions each carrying box-end supporting and clamping means; andband-iron supporting, feeding, guiding and tensioning means; oftransverse connecting members extending between said frame-portions andvariable to retain the same fixedly in adj'usted parallel relation toeach other, and a single controlling member movable to actuate theclamping means to release position and also actuate the band-ironfeeding means.

8. In a machine of the class described, a main frame having normallyfixed transversely adjustable side-portions; each sideportion havingparts forming a support and abutment for the lower edge, the front edgeand one side of a rectangular vertically-disposed box-end; said supportsand albutments being adapted to sustain the box-ends in paralleltransversely-alined relation to each other, a clamp-block connectedpivotally with each side-portion of the frame and extending past thefront abutment to engage and to press the respective box-end toward theside abutment therefor, a clampframe slidable longitudinally of theframe to engage the box-ends and to press them toward the frontabutments therefor, means for moving said clamp-blocks and for movingsaid clamp-frame to engaging position, and a foot-lever connected withsaid clampblocks and clamp-frame and movable to actuate both to arelease position.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with releasableclamping means for holding two box-ends in parallel transversely spacedand alined relation to each other, of revolubly mounted reels, coils ofband-iron reinforcing-strips carried on said reels, means for guidingstrips from the reels to points alined with the edges of boxends in theclamping means, and means for revolving said reels to wind parts of theband-iron strips thereon and place under tension the parts of saidstrips adjoining the edges of the box-ends.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with releasableclamping means for holding two box-ends in parallel transversely spacedand alined relation to each other, of revolubly mounted reels, coils ofband-iron reinforcing-strips carried on said reels, means for guidingstrips from the reels to points alined with the edges of boxends in theclamping means, feeding means for revolving the reels to feed stripsthere from, means for revolving the reels to rewind parts of the stripsthereon and place under tension the parts of said strips adjoining theedges of the box-ends, and a single actuating member for moving theclamping means to release the box-ends and simultaneously moving thefeeding means to unwind strips therefrom.

LEON J. NELSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

